diff --git a/NAMESPACE b/NAMESPACE
index 80d34c6b..7515048c 100644
--- a/NAMESPACE
+++ b/NAMESPACE
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 # Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
 
 S3method(as_continuous_pal,"function")
+S3method(as_continuous_pal,character)
 S3method(as_continuous_pal,default)
 S3method(as_continuous_pal,pal_discrete)
 S3method(as_discrete_pal,"function")
+S3method(as_discrete_pal,character)
 S3method(as_discrete_pal,default)
 S3method(as_discrete_pal,pal_continuous)
 S3method(fullseq,Date)
@@ -98,6 +100,7 @@ export(extended_breaks)
 export(format_format)
 export(format_log)
 export(fullseq)
+export(get_palette)
 export(gradient_n_pal)
 export(grey_pal)
 export(hms_trans)
@@ -177,6 +180,7 @@ export(pal_seq_gradient)
 export(pal_shape)
 export(pal_viridis)
 export(palette_na_safe)
+export(palette_names)
 export(palette_nlevels)
 export(palette_type)
 export(parse_format)
@@ -195,10 +199,12 @@ export(rescale_max)
 export(rescale_mid)
 export(rescale_none)
 export(rescale_pal)
+export(reset_palettes)
 export(reverse_trans)
 export(scientific)
 export(scientific_format)
 export(seq_gradient_pal)
+export(set_palette)
 export(shape_pal)
 export(show_col)
 export(sqrt_trans)
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 6e2d1bb7..9566bc81 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # scales (development version)
 
+* The scales package now keeps track of known palettes. These can be retrieved
+  using `get_palette()` or registered using `set_palette()` (#396).
 * `label_log()` has a `signed` argument for displaying negative numbers 
   (@teunbrand, #421).
 
diff --git a/R/colour-manip.R b/R/colour-manip.R
index 5de30897..c4f15d85 100644
--- a/R/colour-manip.R
+++ b/R/colour-manip.R
@@ -87,6 +87,14 @@ alpha <- function(colour, alpha = NA) {
 show_col <- function(colours, labels = TRUE, borders = NULL, cex_label = 1,
                      ncol = NULL) {
   n <- length(colours)
+  if (n == 1 && (is.function(colours) || !is_color(colours))) {
+    colours <- as_discrete_pal(colours)
+    n <- palette_nlevels(colours)
+    n <- if (is.na(n)) 16 else n
+    colours <- colours(n = n)
+    n <- length(colours)
+  }
+
   ncol <- ncol %||% ceiling(sqrt(length(colours)))
   nrow <- ceiling(n / ncol)
 
diff --git a/R/pal-.R b/R/pal-.R
index 46e34573..8665dfc6 100644
--- a/R/pal-.R
+++ b/R/pal-.R
@@ -156,6 +156,14 @@ as_discrete_pal.pal_continuous <- function(x, ...) {
   )
 }
 
+#' @export
+as_discrete_pal.character <- function(x, ...) {
+  if (length(x) > 1)  {
+    return(pal_manual(x))
+  }
+  as_discrete_pal(get_palette(x, ...))
+}
+
 ## As continuous palette --------------------------------------------------
 
 #' @rdname new_continuous_palette
@@ -197,3 +205,11 @@ as_continuous_pal.pal_discrete <- function(x, ...) {
     )
   )
 }
+
+#' @export
+as_continuous_pal.character <- function(x, ...) {
+  if (length(x) > 1) {
+    return(colour_ramp(x))
+  }
+  as_continuous_pal(get_palette(x, ...))
+}
diff --git a/R/palette-registry.R b/R/palette-registry.R
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6ef38ab7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/R/palette-registry.R
@@ -0,0 +1,157 @@
+.known_palettes <- new_environment(parent = empty_env())
+
+#' Known palettes
+#'
+#' The scales packages keeps track of a set of palettes it considers 'known'.
+#' The benefit of a known palette is that it can be called by name in functions
+#' as `as_continuous_pal()` or `as_discrete_pal()`.
+#'
+#' @param name A string giving the palette name.
+#' @param palette A [palette][new_continuous_palette], `function` or character
+#'   vector.
+#' @param warn_conflict A boolean which if `TRUE` (default), warns when
+#'   replacing a known palette.
+#' @param ... Additional arguments to pass to palette when it is a function
+#'   but not a palette class function.
+#'
+#' @return The `get_palette()` function returns a palette. The `set_palette()`
+#'   function is called for side effects and returns nothing.
+#' @export
+#'
+#' @examples
+#' # Get one of the known palettes
+#' get_palette("hue")
+#'
+#' # Set a new custom palette
+#' cols <- c("palegreen", "deepskyblue", "magenta")
+#' set_palette("aurora", palette = cols)
+#'
+#' # Palette is now known
+#' "aurora" %in% palette_names()
+#' as_continuous_pal("aurora")
+#'
+#' # Resetting palettes
+#' reset_palettes()
+get_palette <- function(name, ...) {
+
+  name <- tolower(name)
+  if (!exists(name, envir = .known_palettes)) {
+    cli::cli_abort("Unknown palette: {name}")
+  }
+
+  pal <- env_get(.known_palettes, name)
+
+  # Palette could be factory, in which case we want the product, or
+  # palette can be a palette function that isn't registered as such,
+  # in which case we want the colours it gives
+  if (is_function(pal) && !is_pal(pal)) {
+    pal <- try_fetch(
+      pal(...),
+      error = function(cnd) {
+        cli::cli_abort("Failed to interpret {name} as palette.", parent = cnd)
+      }
+    )
+  }
+  if (is.character(pal)) {
+    pal <- manual_pal(pal, type = "colour")
+  }
+  if (is_pal(pal)) {
+    return(pal)
+  }
+  cli::cli_abort("Failed to interpret {name} as palette.")
+}
+
+#' @export
+#' @rdname get_palette
+set_palette <- function(name, palette, warn_conflict = TRUE) {
+  name <- tolower(name)
+  if (!is_function(palette) && !is_character(palette)) {
+    cli::cli_abort(
+      "The {.arg palette} argument must be a {.cls function} or \\
+      {.cls character} vector."
+    )
+  }
+  if (warn_conflict & exists(name, envir = .known_palettes)) {
+    cli::cli_warn("Overwriting pre-existing {.val {name}} palette.")
+  }
+  env_bind(.known_palettes, !!name := palette)
+  invisible(NULL)
+}
+
+#' @export
+#' @rdname get_palette
+palette_names <- function() {
+  names(.known_palettes)
+}
+
+#' @export
+#' @rdname get_palette
+reset_palettes <- function() {
+  env_unbind(.known_palettes, palette_names())
+  init_palettes()
+}
+
+init_palettes <- function() {
+  register_hcl_pals()
+  register_base_pals()
+  register_viridis_pals()
+  register_brewer_pals()
+  register_dichromat_pals()
+  set_palette("grey", pal_grey, warn_conflict = FALSE)
+  set_palette("hue", pal_hue, warn_conflict = FALSE)
+}
+
+on_load(init_palettes())
+
+register_hcl_pals <- function(n = 31) {
+  names <- grDevices::hcl.pals()
+  for (name in names) {
+    fun <- colour_ramp(grDevices::hcl.colors(n, palette = name))
+    set_palette(name, fun, warn_conflict = FALSE)
+  }
+  invisible(NULL)
+}
+
+register_base_pals <- function() {
+  if (getRversion() < "4.0.0") {
+    return(invisible(NULL))
+  }
+  names   <- utils::getFromNamespace("palette.pals",   "grDevices")()
+  palette <- utils::getFromNamespace("palette.colors", "grDevices")
+  for (name in names) {
+    fun <- manual_pal(palette(palette = name), type = "colour")
+    set_palette(name, fun, warn_conflict = FALSE)
+  }
+  invisible(NULL)
+}
+
+register_viridis_pals <- function() {
+  names <- c("magma", "inferno", "plasma", "viridis",
+             "cividis", "rocket", "mako", "turbo")
+  for (name in names) {
+    fun <- pal_viridis(option = name)
+    set_palette(name, fun, warn_conflict = FALSE)
+  }
+  invisible(NULL)
+}
+
+register_brewer_pals <- function() {
+  names <- rownames(RColorBrewer::brewer.pal.info)
+  for (name in names) {
+    fun <- pal_brewer(palette = name)
+    set_palette(name, fun, warn_conflict = FALSE)
+  }
+  invisible(NULL)
+}
+
+register_dichromat_pals <- function() {
+  if (!is_installed("dichromat")) {
+    return(invisible(NULL))
+  }
+  names <- names(dichromat::colorschemes)
+  for (name in names) {
+    fun <- manual_pal(dichromat::colorschemes[[name]], type = "colour")
+    set_palette(name, fun, warn_conflict = FALSE)
+  }
+  invisible(NULL)
+}
diff --git a/R/utils.R b/R/utils.R
index fc80a5a4..57dea1ef 100644
--- a/R/utils.R
+++ b/R/utils.R
@@ -100,3 +100,7 @@ recycle_common <- function(..., size = NULL, call = caller_env()) {
   x[to_recycle] <- lapply(x[to_recycle], rep_len, length.out = size)
   x
 }
+
+.onLoad <- function(lib, pkg) {
+  run_on_load()
+}
diff --git a/_pkgdown.yml b/_pkgdown.yml
index 3e26d4b2..f788498d 100644
--- a/_pkgdown.yml
+++ b/_pkgdown.yml
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ reference:
   - contains("col")
   - muted
   - alpha
+  - get_palette
 
 - title: Non-colour palette functions
   desc: >
diff --git a/man/get_palette.Rd b/man/get_palette.Rd
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e48def8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/get_palette.Rd
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+% Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
+% Please edit documentation in R/palette-registry.R
+\name{get_palette}
+\alias{get_palette}
+\alias{set_palette}
+\alias{palette_names}
+\alias{reset_palettes}
+\title{Known palettes}
+\usage{
+get_palette(name, ...)
+
+set_palette(name, palette, warn_conflict = TRUE)
+
+palette_names()
+
+reset_palettes()
+}
+\arguments{
+\item{name}{A string giving the palette name.}
+
+\item{...}{Additional arguments to pass to palette when it is a function
+but not a palette class function.}
+
+\item{palette}{A \link[=new_continuous_palette]{palette}, \code{function} or character
+vector.}
+
+\item{warn_conflict}{A boolean which if \code{TRUE} (default), warns when
+replacing a known palette.}
+}
+\value{
+The \code{get_palette()} function returns a palette. The \code{set_palette()}
+function is called for side effects and returns nothing.
+}
+\description{
+The scales packages keeps track of a set of palettes it considers 'known'.
+The benefit of a known palette is that it can be called by name in functions
+as \code{as_continuous_pal()} or \code{as_discrete_pal()}.
+}
+\examples{
+# Get one of the known palettes
+get_palette("hue")
+
+# Set a new custom palette
+cols <- c("palegreen", "deepskyblue", "magenta")
+set_palette("aurora", palette = cols)
+
+# Palette is now known
+"aurora" \%in\% palette_names()
+as_continuous_pal("aurora")
+
+# Resetting palettes
+reset_palettes()
+}
diff --git a/man/label_pvalue.Rd b/man/label_pvalue.Rd
index ae9e2b83..a2bdbb87 100644
--- a/man/label_pvalue.Rd
+++ b/man/label_pvalue.Rd
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ Applied to rescaled data.}
 decimal point.}
 
 \item{prefix}{A character vector of length 3 giving the prefixes to
-put in front of numbers. The default values are \code{c("<", "", ">")}
-if \code{add_p} is \code{TRUE} and \code{c("p<", "p=", "p>")} if \code{FALSE}.}
+put in front of numbers. The default values are \code{c("p<", "p=", "p>")}
+if \code{add_p} is \code{TRUE} and \code{c("<", "", ">")} if \code{FALSE}.}
 
 \item{add_p}{Add "p=" before the value?}
 }
diff --git a/man/pvalue_format.Rd b/man/pvalue_format.Rd
index 71e4436a..ddf72dd9 100644
--- a/man/pvalue_format.Rd
+++ b/man/pvalue_format.Rd
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ Applied to rescaled data.}
 decimal point.}
 
 \item{prefix}{A character vector of length 3 giving the prefixes to
-put in front of numbers. The default values are \code{c("<", "", ">")}
-if \code{add_p} is \code{TRUE} and \code{c("p<", "p=", "p>")} if \code{FALSE}.}
+put in front of numbers. The default values are \code{c("p<", "p=", "p>")}
+if \code{add_p} is \code{TRUE} and \code{c("<", "", ">")} if \code{FALSE}.}
 
 \item{add_p}{Add "p=" before the value?}
 }
diff --git a/man/transform_boxcox.Rd b/man/transform_boxcox.Rd
index cc6d8ea5..00d9ca28 100644
--- a/man/transform_boxcox.Rd
+++ b/man/transform_boxcox.Rd
@@ -29,16 +29,16 @@ Box-Cox to also work with negative values.
 }
 \details{
 The Box-Cox power transformation (type 1) requires strictly positive values and
-takes the following form for \code{y > 0}:
+takes the following form for \eqn{\lambda > 0}:
 \deqn{y^{(\lambda)} = \frac{y^\lambda - 1}{\lambda}}{y^(\lambda) = (y^\lambda - 1)/\lambda}
-When \code{y = 0}, the natural log transform is used.
+When \eqn{\lambda = 0}, the natural log transform is used.
 
 The modulus transformation implements a generalisation of the Box-Cox
 transformation that works for data with both positive and negative values.
-The equation takes the following forms, when \code{y != 0} :
+The equation takes the following forms, when \eqn{\lambda \neq 0} :
 \deqn{y^{(\lambda)} = sign(y) * \frac{(|y| + 1)^\lambda - 1}{\lambda}}{
 y^(\lambda) = sign(y)*((|y|+1)^\lambda - 1)/\lambda}
-and when \code{y = 0}: \deqn{y^{(\lambda)} =  sign(y) * \ln(|y| + 1)}{
+and when \eqn{\lambda = 0}: \deqn{y^{(\lambda)} =  sign(y) * \ln(|y| + 1)}{
 y^(\lambda) = sign(y) * ln(|y| + 1)}
 }
 \examples{
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-palette-registry.R b/tests/testthat/test-palette-registry.R
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..06e09074
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-palette-registry.R
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+test_that("palette getters and setters work as intended", {
+
+  # Test that palettes have been populated in .onLoad
+  expect_in(c("hue", "grey"), palette_names())
+
+  # We cannot get unknown palettes
+  expect_error(get_palette("rgb"), "Unknown palette")
+
+  # We cannot set nonsense palettes
+  expect_error(
+    set_palette("foobar", list(a = 1:2, b = "A")),
+    "must be a"
+  )
+
+  # Test we can set custom palettes
+  colours <- c("red", "green", 'blue')
+  set_palette("rgb", palette = colours)
+  expect_in("rgb", palette_names())
+
+  # Test we can get custom palettes
+  pal <- get_palette("rgb")
+  expect_equal(pal(length(colours)), colours)
+
+  # Test we can reset palettes
+  reset_palettes()
+  expect_false("rgb" %in% palette_names())
+})
+
+test_that("as_continuous_pal and as_discrete_pal can retrieve known palettes", {
+
+  colours <- c("#FF0000", "#00FF00", '#0000FF')
+  set_palette("rgb", colours)
+
+  pal <- as_discrete_pal("rgb")
+  expect_equal(pal(length(colours)), colours)
+
+  pal <- as_continuous_pal("rgb")
+  expect_equal(pal(seq(0, 1, length.out = length(colours))), colours)
+
+  reset_palettes()
+})